


The Perfect Storm

by KMD2018



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII, Final Fantasy VII Remake (Video Game 2020), Final Fantasy VIII
Genre: AU, Adultery, Angst, F/M, Fluff and Smut, I promise, Jessie Paid Up In This One, Parental Cloud, This will be resolved, Unrequited Love, broken relationships, fear of storms
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-13
Updated: 2020-08-13
Packaged: 2021-03-05 21:54:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25882405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KMD2018/pseuds/KMD2018
Summary: A storm rolls in as Cloud struggles to fill his Friday night, a snoring wolfhound his only company. Sat on the couch, missing his son, he watches the rain and thinks of the only other person he would want by his side. Too bad she's probably snuggled up with her own boyfriend at the bar, safe agaisnt the weather. A clap of thunder and strike of fate later, Cloud's world is hit by more than lightning as Tifa turns up on his doorstep, soaked and shivering.
Relationships: Tifa Lockhart/Cloud Strife, Tifa Lockhart/Rude
Comments: 27
Kudos: 75





	The Perfect Storm

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to DrWaffle and kikisbabigurl127 for beta'ing, pointing me in the right direction and inspring the title. Check out the Final Heaven Discord server, it's an instant home to any CloTi fan.

The rain started as Cloud was washing his dishes. A few fat splats against his apartment window, a gust of wind through the trees outside. The day had been fair up until this point and the TV news said it would blow over. Cloud didn’t give it much thought as he quickly finished his washing up; a single bowl, fork, and mug for a very much single man. He set them to dry with a sigh and turned to wipe out the microwave where his instant noodles had spilled over. Red, his russet wolfhound, snored softly on the sofa in the open-plan space, peaceful and content. 

“Lazy mutt.” Cloud murmured, without any real heat. Once he was done, he returned to the living room, shuffling Red down the sofa to make space for his own ass. For a while, he flipped aimlessly through the TV channels, but nothing held his attention. He checked his PHS, but no messages from Jessie about Denzel. It was her turn to have their son this weekend, and Cloud missed him like hell. The little guy was everything to him, shy and cute one moment, sassy and wild the next. His little personality lit up Cloud’s world. He was glad his friendship with Jessie was solid, that they could co-parent as peaceably as they did. But it didn’t make the time without his son any less lonely. 

Eventually, Cloud just switched on the DVD player knowing there was already a movie loaded. It was always loaded; he hadn’t taken the disc out in years. Denzel was obsessed with children’s streaming apps so he never needed the DVD player. The movie started from wherever he had last left off, about a third of the way in. It didn’t matter. Cloud had the movie memorized, knew every scene and every line. It was a comfort to him, reminding him of better times. Or maybe just a better person. He always imagined she was here with him, playfully throwing popcorn or snuggling under the blanket. His thoughts were interrupted when Red rolled onto his back, farting loudly. Cloud wrinkled his nose in disgust. 

“Gaia, dog, why do I even love you?” Red answered with a whining yawn and stretched, pushing his back paws into Cloud’s face. He batted them away with a grumble and stared outside the big patio doors that led into his garden. The rain hadn’t stopped, steadily growing heavier. He’d have to walk his smelly, farty dog in the deluge later which would suck. Maybe Red would be content to just pee in the garden tonight. Turning back to the TV he watched the heroine punch down some bad guys, eventually feeling himself start to drift away… 

He woke with a start, slightly disoriented. The TV was blaring, coming up to the romantic climax. Red was barking and the rain outside had escalated into a full-blown storm. He glanced at the window when it lit up with a brilliant flash of lightning, followed seconds later by the rumble of thunder. Cloud sighed, ruffling his hair as he thought of someone who would hate this weather. 

“Probably curled up with her boyfriend right now.” Cloud muttered darkly to himself. Red continued to bark, making Cloud groan. “It’s lightning, you idiot.” Red didn’t let up barking and whining, and Cloud realised he was barking at the door. Or rather, the intercom which was buzzing incessantly. He hadn’t heard it over the thunder a second ago, but now it was loud and clear. Who could that be? He wasn’t expecting anyone, Denzel was with Jessie and her partner Biggs tonight, Tifa would be at the bar with Marlene and Rude, Barret was working away, Yuffie was at home in Wutai, Cid in Rocket Town with Shera… the list went on as he lumbered over to the intercom and pressed the talk button. 

“Yeah?” He asked, warily. 

“It’s… It’s me, Cloud. Please let us in?” 

“Teef?” Immediately Cloud pressed the release button and opened the front door, looking down the hallway to see Tifa and Marlene coming in the entrance to the block of flats. Red shoved past his knees and bounded down the hall, whining with joy to greet them both. They were soaked to the bone, hair plastered to their heads. Marlene was clutching Tifa’s hand, although she let go and managed a giggle when Red began jumping at her face, licking and whipping his tail excitedly in the narrow hallway.

“Red!” Cloud admonished, and the wolfhound subsided slightly, although his tail continued to beat the walls. Tifa tried to smile when she looked at Cloud, although it did not reach her eyes. 

Cloud waited until they had both reached the door, then scooped up Marlene for a hug. She was cold as ice and he was immediately concerned for them both. How long had they been out there? 

“What happened?” Cloud said, moving Marlene to his hip and reaching out to touch Tifa’s arm. She was equally as cold. “Nevermind, just get in and get warm.” 

Tifa gratefully came into the warm apartment, looking as miserable as a drowned rat. Cloud thought she looked tragically beautiful, her big red eyes shining in the low light, but he pushed the thought aside. 

“Can we stay the night, Cloud?” her voice was timid, so unlike the boisterous, vivacious Tifa he knew. Her eyes kept flitting to the storm that raged outside the windows, flinching when a bolt of lightning shot across the sky. Cloud didn’t even hesitate. He knew Tifa’s fear of storms, and wondered what on earth had pushed her out into one tonight. She must be in real need if she had to brave one with Marlene to make it here. 

“Yeah, sure. Why don’t you run Marlene a bath and I’ll make … um, I’ve got some ramen. And tea. And beer.” He felt jittery, on edge. Cloud desperately wanted to know what the issue was. If it was anything to do with that asshole Rude… well, he wasn’t really an asshole. He was just dating Cloud’s best friend and that made him Cloud’s natural enemy. What made it worse was the fact Cloud liked the guy. He was quiet and not too pushy, unlike his idiot work partner, Reno. Now that guy was an actual asshole. Cloud tried to refocus as he set Marlene down. 

“Hey Little Legs, go help your Aunty Tifa with the bath, okay? Denzel has some Moogle bubble bath you can use, how does that sound?” 

Marlene looked a little more cheerful as she sniffed and hugged herself. 

“Can Red have a bath too?” she asked, eyes big and round. Red thumped his tail at the sound of his name, tongue lolling. Cloud shook his head. 

“You can try Marl, but he hates bath time. He might sit with you though.” Marlene brightened a little and called Red to her as she made her way to the bathroom. Tifa smiled after the little girl before turning to Cloud. 

“Thanks, Cloud. Is Denzel here?”

“Jessie’s weekend. Just me and Red tonight.” 

Tifa nodded, arms wrapped around herself. Cloud reached out to rub her arms, trying to get some warmth circulating. He felt the gooseflesh on her skin and a fresh wave of worry came over him. 

“Go see to Marlene. I’ll get you both some dry clothes and start that soup.” Tifa smiled gratefully, then stepped away and into his small bathroom. He heard the tap and Marlene’s giggles. It made him smile as he went to find some clothes and dig out the ramen. 

A little while later Marlene bounced out the bathroom, dressed in Denzel’s favourite Spiderman pyjamas. Cloud smiled to see Marlene looking cosy and warm and it struck him again how much he missed his son tonight. He quickly settled Marlene on the couch under a blanket with a cup of soup, Red on one side of her begging for bits of bread while Cloud sat on the other. Marlene leaned into him as he flipped the channel to some kid's show. 

“Uncle Cloud?”

“Yeah, little legs?”

“Thank you.” Cloud grinned and wrapped an arm around her, pressing her into his side. Marlene chattered for a while, talking about school, her papa and Miss Gainsborough, slowly getting sleepier and sleepier. Eventually, Cloud took the mug from her hands and set it on the coffee table, content to let the little girl snooze against him. He marvelled that Marlene was so comfortable around him now. Their relationship had a rocky start when he first walked into Tifa’s bar a few years ago, acting like a cocky git and accidentally terrifying the poor toddler. He’d made an enemy for life out of her adoptive father Barret, and Marlene had taken a long time to trust him. But after Denzel was born, Cloud and Marlene had inexplicably bonded. Especially when Denzel was a baby and he would help Marlene hold his little form as she sat on the couch. 

Marlene sighed and sniffed in her sleep and Cloud wondered if she might have caught a cold. Tonight must have been a lot for her. His curiosity was eating him up as to why the two had come here so late, in a bad storm no less, but he reigned it in. He knew Tifa would tell him once she got out of the shower. The thought of her in his shower buzzed his overactive imagination, but he shook his head and focused on the inane kid’s show instead, watching the colourful characters bounce and sing on the screen. 

Cloud had almost dozed off again when he felt the sofa dip on his other side. He yawned and looked up to see Tifa dressed in his old Metallica shirt and a pair of joggers. It looked too damn good on her. She pulled the blanket over and snuggled into his side, shoving his arm up and around her shoulders. Cloud found himself with one arm wrapped around Marlene, the other around Tifa. It would have felt almost natural, if it was not for the ball of nerves suddenly sitting in his stomach. 

Tifa smiled to see Marlene fast asleep on his other side, with Red’s head resting near her feet. 

“He loves children, doesn’t he?” Tifa murmured, meaning the wolfhound. 

“He’s a good dog.” Red’s tail beat once, eyes flicking up to his master as he heard the praise. Cloud lifted his arm from around Marlene and ruffled the dog’s head, then leaned back again. He let the silence run, unwilling to ask direct questions but unable to ask anything else. 

Eventually, Tifa spoke. “Our car died.” 

Cloud frowned, not understanding. 

“PHS was dead, and I couldn’t stand the storm beating at the windows…”

“Oh,” said Cloud, a little clearer. “So you walked here? Where did you breakdown?”

“Not far, just on the corner of Government and Courtney.” 

“That’s still like a mile away!”

Tifa shrugged, looking sad again. “Closer than the bar.” 

Cloud studied her, sensing something amiss in her story. He was about to press when Marlene stirred beside him. 

“Uncle Cloud? Can I go to bed now?” Cloud pulled Marlene into his lap and stood up, gently disentangling them both from the blanket.

“I’ll be right back.” He carried the sleepy little girl into Denzel’s bedroom, tucking her under the covers. Red had followed him and plopped himself heavily beside the bed as he usually did when Denzel was home. Cloud patted the dog, made sure Marlene was comfy, then padded out the room, leaving the door just slightly ajar. He took a beer from the fridge and filled a mug with soup, bringing both back to the sofa where Tifa snuggled, looking content and warm. He sat and offered out the soup, but Tifa gave him a cheeky grin and swiped the beer instead, taking a slug before graciously giving it back. A smile twinkled between them, as did memories of sneaking out to share liquor stolen from parent’s drinks cabinets, passing bottles back and forth on the wishing well until they passed out. Cloud’s smile faltered when he realised just how many years ago that had been, and all that had happened in between. He fixed his gaze on the TV, still blaring some kid’s show.

“So why are you really here?” he asked, quietly. At her silence he dared a glance, watching her fidget with the edge of the blanket. 

“Can we talk about it tomorrow?” she said in no more than a whisper. “Tonight, I just want to be with my best friend.” Cloud couldn’t say no, so he opened up his arms and she scooted into them, snuggling against him intimately. Cloud felt his pulse race and blood rush south, but he suppressed the desire and instead grabbed the remote, flicking it back to the DVD he was playing earlier. Tifa gasped in delight, recognising the film. 

“I haven’t watched this in forever! Were you watching it tonight?” 

“Yeah. For a change.” Cloud didn’t want to admit he watched it most weekends when he missed Tifa. 

“Can we start it from the beginning? Do you mind?” Cloud wouldn’t have minded if Tifa had asked to watch the entire BBC Classics version of Loveless when she was pressed against him like this, not that he would admit it to himself or anyone else. Wordlessly he skipped the DVD back to the beginning and Tifa sighed contentedly, stealing another swig from his beer.

Several beers and a little while later, Tifa spoke, a note of nostalgia shading her voice.

“Do you remember… when we were kids and we’d watch this on repeat until 3 am, doing shots of White Lightning every time Heidegger did the creepy laugh, or SOLDIER boy did his victory sword swing?”

Cloud laughed, replying “Or the heroine says something corny like ‘Would kill for a shower!’”. He revelled in Tifa’s snorting chuckles. They were so cute. 

Tifa subsided, then snorted again. “Gaia, White Lightning. That was a bad choice. It wasn’t even that strong.” 

“We thought we were the shit though.” 

Tifa laughed, harder this time. “We did, didn’t we?” 

“I still think I’m the shit.” Cloud said, flashing a cocky grin. Tifa snorted and swatted him playfully. 

“You wish, SOLDIER boy.” 

A sudden clap of thunder made Tifa jump and Cloud instinctively held her tighter. A silence fell between them, suddenly tense. Cloud slowly let go, but Tifa didn’t shift away. 

“Cloud?” she whispered, making him look down. Her ruby eyes held an emotion that made his mouth dry. 

“Yeah, Teef?” it came out low and husky. 

“Do you think… if you hadn’t left Nibelheim to join Shinra…” 

Cloud’s mind started ringing alarm bells. He hated talking about when he left their hometown, aged 16, to join the military in a misguided effort to prove himself. That had been one of the biggest mistakes of his life. Five years’ service, two Wutai tours, and nothing to show for it but a heavy bout of PTSD and a crappy military pension. He had quit after his best friend Zack had died, being shot multiple times. An accident during a military exercise, the report had said. Cloud knew better. 

He tried to keep the subject light. 

“Do I think that we’d still be drinking White Lightning and watching crappy action movies till 3 am? Yeah, probably.” 

Tifa laughed softly. “No. No that’s not it…” she looked down her hands, slowly peeling the label off the beer bottle. “I just… I guess I never envisioned this would be our future.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“Me, the mayor’s daughter, owning a dingy gay bar in the slums of the city. You, ex-military, single dad.” 

Cloud’s brows furrowed. “I love being a dad. You love your bar.” 

“No, yes, I know – that’s not what I’m trying to say.” Tifa huffed in frustration. Cloud could sense what she was trying to get at but couldn’t bring himself to even contemplate it. What if he hadn’t left their hometown? What if Tifa had stayed too? Would they be together right now, a happy small-town family with three kids and a dog? Would he have ever gotten over the sense of being inadequate, of being undeserving, less than, nothing more than the town outcast? What if he never met Zack, never had Denzel? Would he still wake in the middle of the night, sweating and screaming at ghosts? They were questions he couldn’t, wouldn’t answer. It was too complicated. It hurt too much. 

Roughly, he scrubbed his face and sighed. “Teef, we can’t change the past. Just be aware that the decisions we make, every step or mistake, leads to right now. In fact-” here he smiled, just a little bit. “I distinctly remember a certain someone telling me dilly dally, shillyshally. Over and over. Every day, for at least a year-” 

“It wasn’t everyday! Or a year!” Tifa interrupted him, feigning outrage. Cloud was relieved to see Tifa snap out her mood and pushed the teasing more, snatching the beer bottle deftly from her hands. 

“It was, every time I even so much as frowned-” 

“Your frowny-face is terrifying! I had to do something about that, or I’d have lost all my custom in the bar to your moody ass.” 

“My moody ass brought in customers, remember?” 

Tifa scoffed but said nothing. It was true that Cloud had worked a few nights behind the bar, pulling in a different cartel of customers. Enough to run a regular cocktail night, with Cloud as the main server. Tifa put a stop to it when he made a habit of going topless for tips. For the reputation of the bar, she claimed. Cloud had always felt a little smug at the poorly hidden jealousy in her tone. 

“I think we should bring it back, you know. Maybe I could wear a dickie bow this time.” 

Tifa snorted again. “Yeah, sure. We could call it the Dickhead in a Dickie Bow Show and serve whipped cream with strawberries and chocolate sprinkles.” 

Cloud was laughing now, chest vibrating. “I think that would be a smash hit. Biggs would be up for it, I’m sure.” 

“He could be your sidekick. He’d need a stage name… Blockhead in a Bandana?” 

“Mr. Mischief in a kerchief?” 

“Stud in a Hood?” 

They dissolved into fits of giggling laughter. On the screen, the heroine pulled the SOLDIER from a burning building and they shared a cheesy, passionate kiss. Both went quiet as they watched it. Cloud shifted uncomfortably and tried to subtly put some distance between him and Tifa. The romantic scene always made him think of doing something completely inappropriate to Tifa, a hangover from his horny teenage brain. When she was cuddled into his side like this, dressed in his clothes, drinking from the same beer bottle, it became a lot harder to resist the thoughts. To his surprise, Tifa shifted too, but instead of moving away she suddenly shoved off the blanket and slid herself across his lap, straddling him. 

Cloud stared up at her, one hand gripping the beer bottle, the other floating awkwardly in mid-air. 

“Teef?” he asked, mortified when his voice sprang up an octave as she settled herself with her hands resting on his shoulders. Her chest was just below his eye level, peaked nipples visible through the thin cotton. He was already getting hard, despite being utterly confused. He cleared his throat and tried again. 

“Tifa? What are you doing?” she grabbed the bottle from his hand and tipped it to her mouth, swallowing the remaining beer in three long pulls. Cloud watched the smooth column of her neck bob and didn’t register his hands move to grip her hips. He was too fascinated with the way she sighed, licking her lips. Discarding the bottle Tifa began lightly tracing his features, running a finger along the stubble of his jaw, the arch of a blonde eyebrow, across his full lower lip. Slowly, she leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. The taste of beer and Tifa was electric, making him inhale sharply and grasp her tighter. Tifa kissed him more firmly, feeling the rush of his response. She exhaled his name between parted lips, making him open his eyes. Abruptly, Cloud drew back. He gently pushed Tifa back a few inches looking up at her big ruby eyes.

“Tifa, you have to talk to me. What is this?” Cloud couldn’t deny he wanted this, wanted her in his arms, straddling his cock, gasping his name. But it didn’t feel right. Tifa was in a relationship, and while this wasn’t their first kiss, it also didn’t feel like some inconsequential teenage make-out session. That was the last time Cloud had kissed Tifa, right before he left town for the military. It had been a messy, edifying affair that had them both laughing years later. That was not the mood right now. 

Tifa stared down at him, eyes glistening. 

“Tell me you don’t want me.” She whispered. 

Outside the rain lashed down, but Tifa didn’t look away when the lightning forked across the sky. For Cloud, it had the strange effect of illuminating her face and for a brief second, he felt pain streaming out of her eyes. His heart broke, control slipping. He wanted to take away that pain. He needed to. 

Tifa bit her lower lip, watching his resolve crumble. 

“Remember our promise?” She whispered, and that sealed the deal. Cloud exhaled a long breath, hand reaching up to brush her cheek. 

“This is what you want?” 

“I… I need you, Cloud.” The words were sweet honey, slickening his desire. “I need this.” 

Without further question, Cloud pulled her down for a searing kiss. Tifa slid closer, gasping against his erection. Her hands were in his hair, running her hands along his scalp and sending shivers down his spine. Cloud gently slipped his own hands under her shirt, calloused fingers making the sensitive skin of her stomach jump. 

He had wanted this for so long, but now Tifa was in his arms, Cloud almost didn’t know quite what to do. Tifa interpreted his hesitancy as deference and made an impatient noise in the back of her throat. She pulled back and in one swift motion drew Cloud’s old band shirt over her head. Cloud swallowed thickly and felt a little of his sanity slip away. He had always imagined her nipples would be pink, but they were a dusky rose colour, her pale skin sprinkled with dark freckles. They were perfect. She was perfect. 

Tifa sighed when he palmed both breasts, thumbs brushing over her nipples. Then she gasped when he brought one to his lips and gently sucked, threading hands around the back of his head to draw him in closer. Cloud slipped one arm around her narrow waist in response, swirling his tongue and sucking harder to elicit more wonderfully breathy reactions. Slowly he kissed across her chest, making his way to her other nipple. His lips brushed the scar that ran in a jagged line between her breasts and towards her ribcage and Cloud felt her briefly tense. It was so quick, Cloud might have missed it if he wasn’t trying to desperately memorize every moment. He drew back slightly, hands running up her sides as he slowly, deliberately took her in. 

“You are so fucking beautiful, Tifa.” His voice was thick and gravelly with desire.

He meant it. Tifa was a beautiful person, inside and out. Her scars were her history, one that shaped her into the best person he knew. She was so much better than him, in every way, and Cloud wouldn’t want her to change for the world. In his lust-filled haze, he wasn’t sure he entirely got that point across. He realised he had failed when Tifa returned his look with an overly-bright grin, head cocked slightly to one side. The smile did not reach her eyes.

“Oh yeah? Not so bad yourself, Strife.” 

Cloud’s hands froze. He was always Cloud to her, sometimes Chocobo head or SOLDIER boy if she was teasing. Never Strife – it was his army name and he hated it. He gave her an intense look, trying to see past her guarded eyes. Tifa’s smile faltered and she looked away. Cloud’s passion died in an instant. Something wasn’t right. This wasn’t right.

“Tifa, I think we should talk-” Cloud didn’t finish his sentence before Tifa suddenly leapt from his lap, gathering up his top and holding it to her chest. Cloud fruitlessly reached out for her, already missing the warmth and weight of her body pressed close, but Tifa shied from his touch, turning away, and pulling the shirt over her head.

“Don’t Cloud. Just. Don’t.” Cloud was left speechless as she fled, the bathroom door shutting firmly behind her. 

The rain splattered dully against the windows, the TV lowly blaring end credits. 

“Fuck.”

**Author's Note:**

> I know, it's uncomfortable. I'm going to resolve the angst, I promise.


End file.
